


Snow Angels

by TakingFlight48



Series: The Dog and The Bone [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 31 Days of Writing Challenge - Fall 2020, 5th in the series, Australian Winter, Childhoods are tough to discuss, F/M, Fresh snow is so beautiful, Fun, Getaway companion, Hermione is an old soul, Let's get a bit deeper, Making Snow Angels, Muggle AU, October 14th Prompt - Childhood, Sirius is vulnerable, Snow, The Dog and The Bone Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:08:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27446878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingFlight48/pseuds/TakingFlight48
Summary: A leisurely winter walk through the Tasmanian Mountains takes Sirius and Hermione through some deep conversations about their lives, their past, and their differing childhoods.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Hermione Granger
Series: The Dog and The Bone [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1991194
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13
Collections: 31 Days of Writing Challenge - Fall 2020





	Snow Angels

**Author's Note:**

> Primarily written for The 31 Days of Writing Challenge: October 14th Prompt - Childhood
> 
> Thanks as always to Kiwi05622 for her mood board and double thanks to the mods for another excellent prompt!!
> 
> **This is Part 5 of The Dog and The Bone - Sirimione Series.**   
> 
> 
> Enjoy ☮ ✌ 

_**This is Part 5 of an interconnected series of[one-shots](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1991194). To get the whole reading experience, I recommend starting with Part 1 [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270781).** _

* * *

Running a hand through his hair, Sirius adjusted the cashmere beanie his brother had gifted him a few years back, focusing instead on the way the snow crunched beneath his thick winter boots the further they got from their week-long accommodations. 

“Nice of Harry to invite us.” He finally ventured and almost threw himself off the trail they were exploring. 

Instead of keeping to the silence that had surrounded them, she laughed, “I almost wish they hadn’t, but I am too selfish. I love this property and I missed Australian winters.”

This was the first time they had been together, alone, since their first encounter over a month ago in late April. And where their first encounter had been almost perfect, every moment they were in each other’s orbit since had been filled with confusion on his part and seeming indifference from her. It probably hadn't helped that he had been especially rakish this past month -- out with a different woman every time they had seen the other. 

Sending a prayer up to Reggie, knowing James would simply laugh, to keep the odd sense of guilt out of his tone, he tried for simple. “That’s right. I forgot you used to live here. Why did you leave?”

Hermione froze infinitesimally beside him, footprints stuttering in the snow before she collected herself and cleared her throat. “Oh, well that’s a rather long story, I’m afraid. Short version - I would probably still be here if it hadn’t been for Narcissa - oh uhm, Narcissa Malfoy that is and I suppose Lucius but I could do without him I think.” 

Her smile was soft, eyes relaxed when she glanced back at him. The variances in who she was, depending on the interaction and situation, was almost mesmerizing enough that he almost forgot to keep engaging her. “My cousin?” he asked dumbly, deciding to keep an eye out on emergency fall off spots if he continued to act as incredibly dim-witted as he was right now. As if he wasn’t her senior in age and experience. 

“You’re related to Narcissa?” her bright eyes were on his as she placed a gentle hand on his forearm. 

“She was a Black before she married into the Malfoy line,” he shrugged the opposite shoulder, unwilling to remind her of the imagined heat he felt from her gloved touch. 

“Rather small world, then, isn’t it?” she chuckled and his responding chuckle was weakened when she pulled her hand back into her pocket, eyes facing forward once again. “How did a little bird-like you, enjoying life in Australia, foster a relationship enough with The Narcissa Malfoy that culminated in you returning to England?” 

He knew, of course, he did. Once he had made the connection between her and the girl that had been lusting after a leather coat, he had used his vast resources to dig up everything he could about her. Not only was she the same bird Pansy waxed lyrical about, but she had also become Harry’s closest friend in adulthood, and the best part, Draco’s competitor in almost everything, even residing halfway across the world. 

“Well, you know then that P dated Draco for, oh gosh, the last two years of secondary and all through Uni?” At his smirk, she protested, “You asked!” She huffed, and he threw his arms up in surrender, “I simply find it endearing how we seemed to be one degree from knowing each other before now. But go on chick, I am present.”

Narrowing her eyes at him, she bit her lip before continuing onwards. “As I was saying - Pansy and I are best friends, well, the best term is truly sisters. When she dated Draco, he was so involved in our lives and us in his, that I was bound to be scooped into his circles, including his immediate family. I tended to avoid his friends; they rarely inspired anything but contempt in me. So whenever his family would come to Australia, my parents, who housed us when we weren't boarding at Uni, would house them in their Manor home. Narcissa's stays grew more frequent - which mind you was an oddity in itself since it was not my family she should have been growing in closeness with, but Pansy's. But she would pick my brain as I worked my way through Uni on legal matters and encouraged me to learn the Queen's laws as well as the ones here. I have been working part-time for M & G for years before now as a sort of backup solicitor whenever Lucius wanted my ‘special touch’ to his cases. During one of our weekly phone calls, Narcissa got me to confess my desire to shift away from Sydney for a multitude of reasons, and one thing led to another, and here I am.”

She kicked the fresh powder, smile bright as the ice crystals danced around her legs before settling. “I think she knew, Narcissa I mean, that I had been getting all the legalities of returning to England as an adult, on my own, sorted. I haven’t officially lived in the UK since I was probably eight, so you know borders and passports and the sort. Anyway, it sort of worked in my favour ultimately.”

“Well, Ms Granger. How very sneaky of you. So you were already hoping for the outcome you got?” His heated chuckle danced before him in a grey mist before disappearing into the ambient chill. 

“You don’t get to be a Partner at 28, as a woman to boot, without keeping your eyes on the prize, Mr Black,” she smirked as he spluttered at the returned formality. 

“How about you, hmm? Heir and CEO of Black Industries, Black Management Company, and the Black clothing line all before the ripe young age of 35. What were you before the corporate world of fancy cars, rich leather jackets, and babes by the bucket loads entered your life?” 

Her soft voice quivered as she concluded her question, face flushing and chuckle forced. His grey eyes traced the new shade of red on her cheeks as she realized just what she had asked. But what could he say, that he had had his choice of women from a young age? That settling with one for any significant amount of time made his skin itch, his fingers twitch, and his teeth grind. Or should he discuss the absent father, the overbearing, abusive mother, or the blood brother he had just reconnected with and lost two years after his chosen brother and wife were taken from him? 

“I wish I had some long, exciting story to tell, kitten. But I was just a real lucky wanker born into privilege, rebelled like the oldest is wont to do, and ended up living the very life I had snuffed at for the first 20 years of my life.”

“Why?” Her voice was quiet, pensive even as she kept her eyes firmly forward, elbows tucked tight against herself, hands burrowing deeper into the pockets of her sleek winter coat. 

“What?” he asked dumbly as the snow that had blown off the branches above them slowly drifted around her, dancing to and fro and highlighting her presence beside him. 

His eyes widened when she looked up at him and caught him already staring, “Why do you do it then, if you didn’t want to?” Her nose scrunched up at him, forcing him to stop when she did, as a cluster of ice crystals landed along her upper cheek. Without considering it he stepped closer, tugging off the thick glove and bringing his thumb up to wipe the snowflake off. 

“Not all of us have a clear image of who we want to be in our twenties. Or well,” his hand drifted over her cheek for a moment longer before he stepped back, watching the breath she had held in finally escape her, mist clouding the space between them before joining the rest of their shared words. “Not all of us had a drive to do something respectable in our twenties. I wanted to be the drummer and lead singer of The Marauders. We were good too, until an old friend sold our upcoming set to the Death Eaters, some band that had one successful album before flopping, and we disbanded.”

“That’s horrible, Sirius,” she lamented, the pom-pom of her beanie teetering as she shook her head and recommended their walk. 

“Aha! I knew you could remember my name!” he exclaimed triumphantly, laughing loudly into the snow-shrouded silence. 

“I am shit with names, don’t shame me!” her huff brought forth more laughter as she stomped off in front of him. “Wait, little kitten,” he caught up to her, laughing, “it’s been something different every time we meet!”

“Well, we hardly know each other, _Siri_. I cannot be expected to remember the name of someone who has been merely in the periphery of my time here. Plus Sirius is an odd name!” she defended, defiant and unwilling to apologize. 

“Ha! As if Hermione is any better? At least mine has astral significance! What is yours? A name that batty old bard conceived from the depths of his depraved mind!”

“That bard - I will have you know, contributed not only names, but words, ideas, and entire written concepts to the entire WORLD! So excuse me if I prefer my name, bred from that brilliance, then a cluster of stars that are simply the residue of dead suns light years away!” The fire was back and he was certain if he pushed enough the entire clearing would melt in its wake. 

“All I am saying is, I was considerate enough to catalogue your odd name no matter how little interaction we have had.”

“Congratulations Mr Black! Would you like me to submit a formal letter of acknowledgement with Parliament when we return? I will endeavour to push aside the other extremely useful information I maintain on the forefront of my mind and place your name in its stead.”

“Excellent,” he nodded, lips twitching as her eyes widened comically, “that seems acceptable.”

When his smirk didn’t dissipate he watched her fight down her own amusement, biting hard on her bottom lip before rolling her eyes at his intense perusal and getting back to the initial topic. “Tell me about this boy band, then.” 

Throwing his arm out to stop her once again, he exclaimed, “Boy Band! We were not a mere Boy Band. I will have you know we were as rock and roll as you could find in the early ’80s." She was chuckling, chest shaking against his arm, but he was not finished defending his adolescent dream. "We started doing covers at local pubs while piss drunk cunts yelled their requests. But in our quest to be young, wild and free, we ended up in Surrey --Chiddingfold to be exact-- and next thing we know we are opening for Genesis from September to December 1981.” 

Hermione's head tilted to the side, and if he was a betting man, he would put money on her mind flashing back to the Genesis shirt she had been wearing when they first met. 

“I can still taste the excitement of the rock and roll scene. We were a little late to it, the rock scene I mean. But I was still on a pretty tough leash until about 16. However, when I finally got out of my ancestral home and moved-in, full time, with the Potters for the next 8 years, life was a lot more exciting.” Her eyes darted around his face as he continued to regale her with the high that was performing live. 

“We thought we were invincible and Genesis offered up their Farmhouse to record but James” --he flicked his eyes down to her lips as she bit the corner repeatedly -- “that's Harry’s dad, yeah?” At her nod, he continued, “James had set up a recording studio within his Manor, something Charlus was thrilled to do, a rock and roll buff himself, while we were out touring.” 

“We thought we would live on that high forever. And we might have, but then it was a series of events that sort of shifted that high into a harsher light.”

“Hip-Hop you mean?” she prompted, not missing a beat but fuck if this flower wasn’t perfect. “Heh, yeah, the world was shifting away from the richness that the '60s and '70s brought and hip hop and eventually heavy metal was the focal point. But see I have rarely let change stop me from getting what I wanted. Hell, when I was younger, I remember being shipped off to my weekly piano lessons and got on with the instructor so well, Professor Flitwick, that he got my mother to agree to three sessions a week. All sessions under the guise of improving my wretched piano skills. But behind closed doors Mondays were Piano, a double lesson in classical and then experimental, Wednesdays Guitar - electric and bass - and Saturday’s drums. So I had been preparing for this reality my whole life. When it was finally happening, finally the door that my name and money couldn’t open for me was ajar, it all just sort of"-- his fingers let go of the imagined dream, eyes following nothing--"dissipated.”

“I’m so sorry, Sirius.” She leaned into him, and he smiled softly down at her. “Changes in trends are made worse when you finally get a taste of what could have been.”

“But that’s the issue, why it took me so long to really get over it. We knew the way the tide was turning, musically I mean. We had learned early on - maybe start of secondary - that Remus had a wicked ability to rap. He was quick, his beats were sick, and, yes, I know!” he cut himself off at the incredulity painted along her face. “Believe me, we were just as shocked, but it's always the quiet ones.” 

“I am going to have to ask him for a demonstration,” she smiled, eyes no longer on him. But the thought of her thinking about Remus, about getting close enough to ask for a sample of his hidden talent, had his fist clenching in _something_ \-- anger -- perhaps? A selfish desire to keep her as his own? 

What was it about this babe that had him reacting like this and why now? 

“Yeah,” he answered lamely when she turned back, face shrouded in confusion at his sudden silence. Shaking his hands out after she concluded her silent appraisal of his energy shift, Sirius continued. “So we were adding new sound, fresh lyrics, Remus’s rapping and that soul R&B was boasting. Trying to stay relevant from the start without losing the essence of rock - and I think we succeeded.”

“Sing me one?” she asked lightly, the blush back over the permanent chill on her cheeks. He could only give a sad smile in response. “You might have actually heard it. We worked so hard on that album, but Peter, our 4th since primary, had fallen in with a new group. We didn't know, should have realized, Petey was more distant, making up excuses to shove off events, only coming around when we were writing and always begging for copies to take home and practice with. We had wrapped up the track, simply needed to play with the recordings before trying to make it into something. Suddenly we’re hearing a bastardized version of our songs on the Radio performed by the Death Eaters; a band led by an absolute twat named Riddle and we just, well it was a hard hit from someone we trusted so much.”

“I was wondering why this was the first I heard about Peter,” Hermione said softly, “I have been fortunate in my friendship with Pansy, but there have been many people in my life that left craters I am still learning to fill with time. I am sorry you carry the same.”

Tugging her arm softly, urging her to stop, Sirius played with the pom-pom on her winter hat before tucking her curls underneath it once again. “Someone so young should not feel so much, Hermione.” 

“You say young; I say old soul. Single child,” she began checking off facts on her mitted fingers, “overly inquisitive mind, access to thousands of books, a bit of a know-it-all and bore to the other kids, and too quiet for my own good lead to me connecting with my parent's generation much more than my own.” 

“Plus his loss, that bellend who stole your hard work, because I remember that album and it was highly criticized and eventually sued off the airwaves. I presume your group didn’t take the plagiarism lightly?” At his confirmative nod, she continued, “Good, never let them see you sweat, and if you do, sweat that is, make them feel the same heat.” 

Sirius was mesmerized as she lightly placed her hand over his in silent support of a history she had never been a part of. “Have you ever been sledging?” 

Her question caught him off guard, so focused he was on the serious tone she had taken that he realized too late that she was dragging him towards a drop in the trail. “Well, have you?” Her eyes were wide, bottom lip hiding behind her white teeth as she tilted her head up to wait him out. 

“Walburga would hardly consider sledging something a decent sort would do.”

“She sounds wretched. Nanny?”

A bird squawked indignantly at the noises he let out at her innocent inquiry. “I think I would have preferred a Nanny than that shrew. No, Walburga was my late mother. A formality that wretched cow didn’t want. If it hadn't been for Jamie and Remus during boarding school, I am certain I would have lost my damned mind. No, my childhood was full of rules, quiet, and a whole lot of canings. I’ve been told I still have the marks along my upper thighs and back.”

“Fuck,” she whispered harshly, “Why, why would she do that? She gave birth to you!” 

“Oh, sweet summer child, not all of us were lucky enough to be born into a family that loved first, educated second. I was born into as an obligation, with a set of expectations I had no say in filling, and a woman who was determined to bend me to the exact specifications she had been bent in.” He shrugged at her darkening gaze. “It was a long time ago now, chicken. She has been a ghost I buried long before her passing a decade ago.”

“You said you had a brother?” at his sharp intake of breath her face paled, eyes scanning his for some sort of understanding of why it was this topic that caused the reaction he was desperately trying to reel back in. 

“Reg-” he cleared his throat, “Reggie, uh Regulus Arcturus Black. Everything Walburga could have wanted in a son and still the disappointment of Orion, the old codger. Reggie was quiet unless spoken to, firm when he needed to be, and leaning into the same group Riddle heralded from. A lot of back door dealings, dirty trading deals, that sort of thing. But he learned what not to do from me. Where I fought back, Reggie would still and listen. He was the best sort though, just not so willing to break from the mould like I was. He always had a way of getting me the latest records when I was locked up in my tower for exhibiting behaviour unbecoming of the Black heir.”

He didn't say much else for some time, and she didn't push, pry, or attempt a change in topic. Hermione stood a way beside him, overlooking the blinding white and green that stood before and around them, begging to be explored, and Sirius attempted to fish himself out of the memories of dead brothers and friends. Eventually, as it was growing colder, she broke the silence they had immersed themselves in.

Her light steps grew closer before she muttered, “So, we should be getting back.” 

“No,” Sirius said instead when she made to turn away from the mountain view. 

“Excuse me?” Her eyebrow rose as she eyed him head to toe, daring him to repeat his curt denial. 

Unphased or perhaps eager to see her light up once more, he dared. “I said, no. I never had the luxury of sledging as a child. You owe me for bringing it up.”

“But, wait, we don’t have a sled and it’s so high up, what if we plummet to our deaths?” 

“Then what a way to go,” he murmured, snickering at the blush she attempted to hide. 

“I think I saw a sledge a few stops back, I can go grab it,” he said, making to turn back before she could argue. 

But she was faster than he expected, pushing against his chest and pleading for him to stop. He looked down his nose at her, taking in the furrowed brow she wore as she slowly relaxed the firm lean she had taken against his frame. Then just as suddenly as his stance relaxed, he yelped as he was falling backwards, snow puffing out around him. Complaining loudly about the imagined pain in his arse form the sharp fall, he realized too late as she finally released the lapels of his winter jacket, that she had lessened his descent so that he wouldn't feel the blow to his arse. 

“Or,” she smiled brightly down at him, we could play with the snow. A safer, tamer option since I am clearly in the presence of a daredevil and I promised Pansy we would return in one piece.”

“The way your standing over me doesn’t seem very tame, little minx. If you wanted to sample all you had to do was ask, you know.” Sirius waggled his eyebrows up at her as her eyes widened, mouth opening and closing at his innuendo. 

Without giving her a moment longer to move away, he gripped her hands and tugged her down over him. With a deep oof she steadied herself, noses inches apart, heated breath coating his cheeks. However, it seemed proximity suited her as her wit came rushing back, “It’s freezing, Sirius Black. I was thinking more Snow Angels and less getting ice up my bits, thanks.”

She shifted her hands around his head and he should have seen the mischievous glint for what it was, because moments later she was dropping snow onto his head as she rolled off of him, body shaking in laughter. 

“Snow Angels.” She pointed at him before shifting her arms and legs, resolutely keeping her gaze off of him as he leaned onto his side, head in hand as he watched the angel highlight her small frame. 

Fed up with his silent staring, she kicked snow at him until he acquiesced. They tossed snow around until she was panting, rosy-cheeked, and teeth chattering. 

“Alight snow bunny.” Clicking his tongue at her shoddy aim as more snow zipped to the left of him. “Let’s get you back, hmm? Perhaps the pup and Pans had enough time to warm up on their own.”

“Ugh, don’t need help imagining that, thank you.”

As they trekked back up to the Potter Cabin, he was left considering how much he had divulged today in comparison to her. He would have to work harder to learn what made this little snow angel tick. Because whatever she was, she was not as frosty to him and his advances as she let on. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed creating and sharing who they are a little bit more with you. I am invested in these two, I hope you are too. 
> 
> Thanks to Grammarly for her robotic support and my beta - myself - is to blame for any errors still lingering here. 
> 
> Please leave love in words or kudos as they motivate and uplift. Con-crit is also always welcome here.
> 
> ॐ


End file.
